DHS issues call for 2019 Biometric Technology Rally participants

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has issued its call for submissions to the 2019 Biometric Technology Rally, continuing its challenge to the industry to develop high-throughput biometric systems that provide fast and accurate user recognition for applications like security checkpoints. The rally is open to face, iris, and fingerprint data collection systems, as well as biometric matching algorithms that can achieve the defined performance targets.

The spring event will be held at S&T’s Maryland Test Facility (MdTF) in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and will involve controlled testing of candidate technologies in scenarios relevant to supporting DHS operations.

“The 2018 rally established very aggressive objective and threshold metrics for speed, performance and user satisfaction,” comments Arun Vemury, Director of DHS S&T’s Biometrics and Identity Technology Center. “While some rally participants met a few criteria, no single commercial offering was able to meet all objectives. Additionally, we are expanding the test to include cutting-edge fingerprint systems as well as opening participation to algorithm vendors. We believe this will further accelerate improvements in biometric system performance that benefits DHS and our mission partners.”

S&T will also hold a Stakeholder Demonstration Day at the Maryland Test Facility to allow government and private sector representatives to learn about industry participants and their systems. Representatives from more than 20 government agencies participated in the 2018 event, according to the announcement.

The results of the rally will inform DHS planning, and also be used to help participants improve product capabilities and researchers develop next-generation technologies.

Organizations interested in participating must submit a white paper and a video demonstration of system functionality by November 30, 2018. Further information is available through the MdTF website.

Vemury said he was “very pleased” with the results of the first Biometric Technology Rally earlier this year. The 2018 event featured 11 systems selected from 10 different countries.